The Red Shoes

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburgers dance classic The Red Shoes (1948) feverishly explores the demands of art at the expense of personal life. Why do you want to dance? an imperious artistic director asks aspiring ballerina Moira Shearer, who can only answer with another question: Why do you want to live? This ravishing new 35mm Technicolor restoration will be introduced by Powells widow, the Oscar-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker. The delirious spectacle culminates in the 17-minute dance of the title, based on Hans Christian Andersens morbid tale of ballet slippers that drive the wearer to dance to her death. Dance, girl, dance! At 21, Shearers auspicious bow in the seventh art became ballets most memorable depiction in film. (The movie then moves to Northwest Film Forum, running Fri-Thurs.) MELISSA ANDERSON